Back to the Fold: Chapter 1b
From the rocks came a bloodthirsty scream as one of the villagers flung his spear at Danamon. However, the former bandit was prepared for such an event and rolled out the way, drawing his bow. Before the villager had a chance to react he had taken a shot to the chest, and took another one as he scrabbled behind the rock. Seeing all this from where they were walking towards the escarpment, Reinhardt and Virgil broke into a run. They reached the bottom as Danamon emerged from behind the villager's rock, wiping his dagger clean.
Meanwhile, Johann heard the yell and watched as the rest of the village awoke from its slumber and the warriors left their huts to slip down the escarpment towards the intruders. Once the village was quiet again, he stole around the huts and left by the track to the North. Over the slope was another, slightly larger dip in the ridge, revealing a few herbs and root vegetables, two goats and the entrance to a cave. He drew his sword and entered carefully.
His 'friends' meanwhile had not realised how close they still were to the slope, and only realised as a spear bounced off the armoured vassal's shield. Reinhardt took a glancing blow from another spear as they retreated and then the village guards paused while they worked out their next move. Knowing they had to get past the villagers in order to reach their objective, Danamon decided that the best plan of assault was to get them to come down from their defensive positions. He started yelling... "Hoon sucks!"
Johann was also under attack, retreating from the point of a spear until he was out of the cave in the pre-dawn light. He took a scratch from the spear. The two fighters circled each other, neither getting through the others' defences. He then took a risky move. He feinted, drawing in his opponent. The plan worked, and he drew a slash right through his opponents throat - but for his pains he had taken the spear straight through his side. As he lay on the ground bandaging his own terrible wound, the villagers' champion slumped to the ground, holding his throat but unable to stop his inevitable death. The goats, omnivores, started licking up his blood.
Danamon's taunts were finally getting to the villagers. One in particular just lost it and charged down the hill heading straight for the party, with two more slowly following for support. An arrow in the chest of the first one slowed him down, with Reinhardt finishing the job. Two more arrows flew, grazing one and incapacitating the other remaining attacker. Reinhardt prepared to take his second opponent down, but slipped when he braced his shield for impact and his opponents' spear went straight through the shield, through his shield arm and into his chest. Taking a deep breath, Virgil threw his dagger which landed straight in the side of the villager's throat.
Back in the cave, Johann had dragged himself down into the cave, following a soft glow. He ended in a pile of green, growing plants. Addressing the badly hidden shadow of the village elder, he tried to sound intimidating, "Come out, old man, you have lost." In his condition, though, the threat was laughable but the man appeared anyway. He spoke, in an old, wheezy voice, "No. When my people return, you will be killed."
"There will be more after us."
"Then we will kill them too."
"What is it that you are protecting?"
"Well, you won't live so there is no harm in telling you....." The old man gestured to the plants, "These. They only grow here. Nobody must know about them."
"You trade them?"
"Yes, we trade them to our family." The old man stirred, and raised the spear that he was carrying, "And now it is time for you to die."
"Would it not be better to make a deal with us to protect your secret?"
"I will think about it, with the next group." Fortunately for Johann he was old and weak, and almost fell before he could strike.
"You cannot kill me old man. Why don't we just make a deal?"
The two final villagers, seeing the great opposing champion go down, decided to charge. Danamon raised his bow. Then there was a cry from the ridge: "STOP!" "Kill them all", commanded Reinhardt from the ground. Danamon went to aim. "He said stop", shrieked Virgil while from the ridge Johann cried "We have a deal! Stop!". "KILL THEM" repeated Reinhardt, pulling his wound open again.
Danamon fired, and dropped one foe and wounded the last one who then retreated behind the rocks once more.
The trip home was slow, as Virgil and Danamon had to help their badly wounded companions back to the cart and then escort the donkey back to the nearest village. From there they sent messengers to announce the opening of the trade route and by the time they returned home (the wounded borne on stretchers) the first caravan had passed over the new trade route. Johann did not divulge his secret or the nature of his deal.